Friday, July 31, 2015

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Chapter 5

Daodejing, LaoziChapter 5

"Nature is non-benevolent.
It regards the masses as straw dogs.
The Holy Man is non-benevolent.
He regards the masses as straw dogs.
The space between the heaven and the earth is like a bellows;
though
unsupported, it does not warp; when in motion the more it expels.
Though words could exhaust this theme, they would not be so profitable
As the preservation of its inner essence."
- Translated by
C. Spurgeon Medhurst, 1905, Chapter 5

"Nature is indifferent to life.
It realizes everything is as a straw dog
(a sacrificial animal-image).
The truly wise are also indifferent to life.
They realize humanity is as a straw dog.
The
universe is like a bellows:
empty, yet quite full.
As it proceeds, it produces.
Much
talk, much exhaustion.
Keep your thoughts within!"
- Translated by
C. Ganson, Chapter 5

"Heaven and Earth do not claim to be kindhearted or pitiful.
To them all things and all creatures are as straw dogs brought to the sacrifice and afterwards discarded.
Nor is the Sage kindhearted or pitiful.
To him to the people are as straw dogs.
But the space between Heaven and Earth may be likened to a bellows:
It seems empty, and yet it gives all that is required of it.
The more it is worked, the more it yields.
Whereas the force puffed up by words is soon exhausted.
Better to hold fast to that which dwells within the heart."
- Translated by
Herman Ould, 1946, Chapter 5

"Heaven and Earth have no humanity;
They regard all things as straw-dogs.
The sage has no humanity;
He regards the people as straw-dogs.
Between Heaven and Earth, it is like a bellows or a flute!
Empty, but not exhausted;
With movement, more comes out.
Too much talk always exhausts;
It is better to keep to the inside."
- Translated by
Yi Wu, Chapter 5

"Heaven and earth are not merciful,
They treat all things as straw dogs;
The sage is not merciful,
He treats the people as straw dogs.
Does not the space between heaven and earth form like a bellows?
It is empty but the air in it can never be exhausted;
The more air it expels, the more comes out.
That is why too many government decrees only result in more failures.
It is better, therefore, to hold fast to moderation and the void."
- Translated by
Gu Zhengkun, Chapter 5

"Heaven and Earth are not humane.
They regard all things a straw dogs.
The sage is not humane.
He regards all people as straw dogs.
How Heaven and Earth are like a bellows.
While vacuous, it is never exhausted.
When active, it produces even more.
Much talk will of course come to a dead end.
It is better to keep to the centre."
- Translated by
Chan Wing-Tsit, 1963, Chapter 5

"Heaven and Earth are impartial;
They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs.
The wise are impartial;
They see the people as straw dogs.
The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows.
The shape changes but not the form;
The more it moves, the more it yields.
More words count less.
Hold fast to the center."
- Translated by Gia-fu Feng and
Jane English, 1989, Chapter 5

"The Sage does not take sides,
He welcomes both saints and sinners.
The Tao works upon man as it works upon the grasses of the fields.
Sages act out of the need for rightness, not purely compassion.
The Tao is like a bellows, even though it appears empty, its workings are
obvious,
Yet the more you use it the more it produces, it is inexhaustible.
Yet speaking of it will not increase the comprehension.
Hold to the center path."
- Translated by
John Dicus, 2002, Chapter 5

A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing)
by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes 20 different English translations or
interpolations for that Chapter, 3 Spanish translations for
that Chapter, the
Chinese characters for that Chapter, and the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin
Romanization of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter. Each webpage for one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching includes extensive
indexing by key words and terms in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization. Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended
reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary,
research leads, translation sources, and other resources for that Chapter.